Bcc Center Serves County's Teachers

Brevard Community College's Lyndarae Martin shows a zeal for education, dedication and enthusiasm that could help the school's Center for the Advancement of Teaching become a model for the state.

The center, located on BCC's Cocoa campus, will support and promote activities to serve Brevard County teachers, and provide opportunities for teachers to advance their professional development needs as well as meet state requirements for teacher education.

Martin said the center will bring under one umbrella current activities provided by BCC, such as the summer science and mathematics institutes, certification counseling, staff development funds and representation to the state Bureau of Teacher Certification in Tallahassee and to the Brevard Teacher Education Council.

Money for the program comes from a variety of grants from state, federal and private foundations, including the state Department of Education and National Science Foundation. Seeking out these funds and applying for them is another of Martin's responsibilities.

Martin is working with Daniel T. Scheuerer, assistant superintendent of instructional services for the Brevard County School District, and Sarah Surett, district director of staff development, to design courses to meet teachers' needs as determined by the teachers.

Scheuerer said there are 3,165 teachers in Brevard schools whose teacher's certificates must be renewed every five years by passing the state's professional teachers' exam. They must also take either six semester hours of college credit within the five-year period within their subject area or participate in 120 hours of approved professional activities, including work through various businesses.

An example of how the private business community can aid education is the Harris Corp. program. For the past few years, the company has held in-service seminars for secondary teachers. Harris also pays for elementary teachers in south Brevard schools to take a science method course designed by the school district and taught at Melbourne High School.

Scheuerer said about 300 teachers have taken advantage of the program, which earns them college credit from Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne.